Of the species listed, only the
white bass,
pictured below, is a "true" bass.
Largemouth,smallmouth.warmouth,
and
rock
bass
are all in the sunfish family. If you are skeptical, go to
Sunfish Family
for verification!
White bass
(Morone chrysops) are related to the larger striped bass, a salt water
species, which has been successfully introduced into many large, freshwater
lakes, though not here in Minnesota. White bass are primarily river fish
and are common in the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers as well as their tributaries.
The range of its smaller relative, the
yellow bass,
is limited to the backwaters of the Mississippi River below Lake Pepin
(Minnesota DNR,
2014). The Minnesota state record for white bass is 4 ponds, 0 ounces,
and the world record is 5 pounds, 9 ounces. However, the typical size of
one caught in Minnesota is about a pound
(Minnesota DNR,
2014).